The Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transport Workers of Nigeria (AUATWON) have called on the Federal Government to review the removal of fuel subsidy.

AUATWON said its members are facing worst kind of hardship over the removal of fuel subsidy added that the app companies had refused to adjust fare prices to profit the workers.

Jossy Olawale, the chairman Media and Publicity Committee, in a statement on Thursday said app-based transport workers are “subsidizing” their own transport fares. 

The statement read, “App-based transport workers in Nigeria are facing the worst hardship of their lives as a result of fuel subsidy removal and lack of ability to adjust our transport price anytime there is an increase in the price of fuel just the way other transporters can quickly adjust to the reality.

“The app companies Uber, Bolt, Lagride, Indriver and others fix the price and their commission, leaving the drivers to their losses; the situation of our drivers today is that we are the ones subsidising the transport fare for the riders in Nigeria.” 

Olawale cited that the current economic hardship in the country has left its members in the state of hopelessness.

“However, the means of survival is now a state of hopelessness for our members, whose daily operational cost is largely dependent on petrol.

“Also, in less than two months, this cost has gone up by over 350 per cent to 400 per cent respectively, depending on the part of Nigeria one lives, as today, fuel is now sold between N570  and N715 per litre in this country.“

The union further urged the government to review the removal of fuel subsidy which has affected them badly.

“Our members cannot afford the cost of conversion as it were, and we want the government to support in this direction along with other measures as quickly as possible before the situation will fully become unbearable.

“We are also calling on the government to revisit the removal of subsidy considering the multiplier effect on the economy and deteriorating living standard of the poor.”